Denver Broncos protect 4 players on practice squad

The Denver Broncos have selected four players to protect from being stolen off of their practice squad.

With new rules regarding the practice squad, each week of the season, NFL teams are allowed to select four players to protect from being stolen by another team. The Denver Broncos have selected their four for this upcoming week.

Protected on the practice squad are quarterback Brett Rypien, outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka, safety P.J. Locke, and offensive lineman Jake Rodgers.

The move to protect Rypien isn’t surprising. The Broncos have been interested in keeping him around all of this time despite having other options. They must really like what they see in him. It is also not surprising as he was immediately signed following the 2019 NFL Draft.

Rypien would not be a starter on another team, but protecting him prevents him from being the backup to a team the Broncos would  hate to see him on.

Tuszka was a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft. He was waived and went unclaimed as part of final roster cuts. Tuszka failed to make the roster in part to his position change and his need to be more seasoned—words by Fangio. The Broncos lost outside linebacker Von Miller possibly for the season. Despite this, however, Tuszka won’t be ready to contribute until he adds muscle and gets better at his craft.

Locke got beat out by Trey Marshall during camp, as the team decided to keep just three safeties. Cornerback Duke Dawson, who is listed as a cornerback, is also a player who is versatile enough to move to safety, so that ultimately decided Locke’s fate on the roster, at least for now.

Rodgers played 117 snaps or the Broncos on the offensive line. He committed two penalties and allowed one sack.  The Broncos added Lloyd Cushenberry, Graham Glasgow, Netane Muti and Demar Dotson to the offensive line this offseason.

It is very interesting to see these players being protected.

The Broncos obviously see some potential in them and will work with them to see how they can improve. Who knows—maybe the team will decide to keep the same four as their protected players in the future as well.

The big surprise is that the Broncos did not choose to protect cornerback De’Vante Bausby, who most expected to be the team’s third cornerback this season, but instead was waived.